Full flow packer cementing shoe



May 18, 1965 E. E. BAKER FULL FLOW PACKER CEMENTING SHOE 4 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed Nov. 29, 1962 I NVEN TOR. raaf/v5 t AL/fe May 18, 1965 E. E.BAKER 3,183,974

FULL FLOW PACKER GEMENTING SHOE Filed Nov. 29, 1962, 4 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

M65/Vf 5,4652

BY my q Arroz/V56 May 18, 196s E. E. BAKER 3,183,974

FULL FLOW PACKER CEMENTING SHOE Filed Nov. 29, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 'SFifa. 5.

INVENTOR 06f/V E. A/f? May 18, 1965 E. E. BAKER 3,183,974 FULL FLOWPACKER CEMENTING SHOE l Filed NOV. 29, 1962 4 Sheets-S1196?l 4 i l /M dzl /2/ INVENTOR.

aaa/5 4A/5e l 'Lm/M United States Patent l s ifti Patented May 18, 1955ice 3,183,974 FULL FLW PACKER CEMEN'IING SHOE Eugene E. Baker, Duncan,Qkla., assigner to Halliburton Company, Duncan, Ghia., a corporation ofDelaware Filed Nov..29, 1962, Ser. No. 240,817 3 Claims. (Cl. 1664-141)This invention relates to well drilling equipment and more particularlyrelates to apparatus employed in the cementing of a casing in the borehole of a well.-

In United States Patent No. 2,925,865, issued February 23, 1960 to O. N.Oliver, there is disclosed apparatus for producing a Icement sheath in abore hole above a producing formation. In the apparatus of the patent, a

tool is attached to the bottom of a string of casing andl positioned inthe bore hole just above the producing formation. A plug is positionedon a rst seat in the tool and a predetermined pressure is applied,causing a packer on the exterior of the tool to set and causing a sleeveto move relative to the wall of the tool, thus opening a plurality ofports therein. The cement slurry is then pumped down through the casingand out through the ports into the annular space between the casing andthe bore hole. A second plug is then pumped down the casing onto anotherseat in lthe tool. The application of pressure on this plug causes asecond sleeve to move relative to the tool and close the ports in thetool. Continued application of the pressure pumps the seats, plugs, andany excess cement into the bottom of the bore hole, thereby leaving afully open passageway.

Although the tool of the patent is satisfactory, some difliculties havebeen experienced regarding the re liability of the shear pins used toprevent or permit the movement of the opening and closing sleeves and inthe looking means used to prevent premature relative movement betweenthe ttirst seat and the opening sleeve. According to the presentinvention, these diiculties are overcome :by providing locking rings andassociated structure in place of the shear pins of the patent, therebypermitting the seats to move relative to the sleeves in response to theassumption of predetermined positions by the various members rather than'by the exceeding of predetermined shearing forces exerted on them, theformer being found more reliable than the latter.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a tool-for conveniently and reliably cementing a casing in a Ibore hole.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improvedfull-ow packer cementing tool.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome more apparent upon reference to the accompanying description anddrawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of the tool of the present inventionpositioned at a desired location in a well bore;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the tool of the present inventionshowing the position of the various members of the tool during acementing operation;V Y

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the tool of the present inventionshowing the position of the various members of the tool after thecementing operation has been completed;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of the tool of the present inventionshowing the condition of the tool after the seats and plugs have beenpumped out;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section of a portion of the toolshown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section of another portion of a toolshown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section of a portion of the tool inthe position shown in FIGURE. 3; and

FIGURE 8 is Van enlarged fragmentary sectioii of portion of the tool inthe condition shown in FIGURE-4. .Referring now to the several iigures,and in particular to FIGURES 1, 5 and 6, a tool is shown having an uppercollar 1d which is provided in its upper portion with a rst set ofinternal threads for attachment to the casing string and in its lowerportion with a second set of internal threads which cooperate withexternal threads on the upper end of a tubular member 12. The member 12is provided with a plurality of ports 14, preferably three in number, ofwhich only one is shown. The member 12 is also provided with externalthreads at its lower end for attachment to a guide 16 of anyconventional design.

A packer 113 of any suitable flexible material is positioned about theexterior of the tubular member 12 and maintained in position by shoes 20and 22. The shoe 2t) is iixedly attached to the guide 16 while the shoe22 depends from the lower surface of an external sleeve 24 which ismounted on the tubular member 12 for relative movement therewith butrestrained therefrom by a plurality of shear pins 26. The externalsleeve 24 is also provided with a conventional slip 28 which permits itsmovement in a downward direction relative to the tubular member I2 butprevents its movement in an upward direction.

A-n opening sleeve 3G is positioned in the interior of the tubularmember 12 and is attached by a plurality of shear pins 32 to plugs 34which are xedly attached to the external sleeve 24 and which protrudeinwardly through the ports 14 in the tubular member 12. A plu rality ofO-rings 36 maintain a liquid seal between the opening sleeve and thetubular member i2.

.Positioned in the interior of the opening sleeve 30 is an openingseating member 38 which is provided with a peripheral groove 4t? and aplurality of radial passagewa'ys 42, preferably eight in number. Anexpanded split lock ring 44 preferably made of spring steel and having awedge-shape outer periphery is positioned in the groove 4t) and expandedinto a groove 46 formed in the interior of the sleeve 3i) by a pluralityof steel balls 48 which are positioned in the passageways 42 and held inplace by a cylindrically-shaped releasing sleeve 50 mounted on theinterior of the seating member 38. A retaining ring 5i. is positioned inthe upper portion of the groove 49 and maintains the lock ring 44 inposition in the lower portion of groove 40. The releasing slee-ve isprovided with a plurality of apertures 52 corresponding in number to thepassageways 42 and radially aligned with the passageways 4t2, althoughlongitudinally spaced above them.

A number of the holes 32 are provided with extended slots 54`whichcooperate with shear pins 56 mounted on the interior of the seatingmember 38. The shear pins 56, preferably two in number, prevent thereleasing sleeve 50 from moving downward relative to the seating member38 until after a predetermined shearing force is exceded. The releasingsleeve 50 is also provided with a suitable snap ring 58 whose action,together with the effects of friction between the releasing sleeve 50and the seating member 38, is suicient to prevent the releasing sleevefrom moving upward relative to the seating member 38 under normaloperating condition. When the cementing operation is about to commence,a suitable lplug or bomb 60 can be positioned in the bore of the seatingmember 38by simply pumping it down the casing string in the well knownmanner.

A closing sleeve 62 is positioned in the upper portion of the interiorof the tubular member 12 and is provided -with a 'recessed portion 64for cooperating with the upper porti-on of the sleeve 30. A plurality ofO-rings 66 are provided in this recessed portion to form a liquid sealbetween the two sleeves. A closing seating member ateaevs sleeve 62.These two grooves are joined by a plurality of radial passageways 74,preferably eight. in number. A first split lock ring 76 of spring. steelis compressed in the groove 7i) while a second spiit lock ring 78,prefcrab-ly having an inner wedge-shaped profile is positioned in thegroove 72.

A plurality of steel balls Si) are'positioned inthe passageways 7d andprotrude into the groove 72 thereby forcing the lock ring 78 to becompressed into a groove 82 formed inthe outer periphery of the closingseating member 68. ThisV arrangement prevents relative movement betweenthe sleeve 62 and seating member 68. A suitable plug 84 can bepositioned on t 'e seating member 6% at lan appropriate time in theoperation of the tool as shown in- FIGURE 3. A plurality of shear pins'86, preferably Ithree in number, join the seating member 68 and collarl@ and prevent relative movement therebetween until a predeterminedshearing force is exerted.

The sleeve 62 is provided with a suitable pressureequalizing check valvewhich enables fluid to flow outwardly from the interior of the tool butnot inwardly. This valve comprises, for example, fou-r aligned holes 8Sand 90 drilled in the seating member 68 and sleeve 62 respectively. Thehole in the sleeve 62 is provided with a suitable seat 92 andcommunicates with a groove 94 formed in the periphery of the sleeve. Asteel ball 96 is spring-biased or otherwise maintained in contact withthe seat 92 unless a predetermined pressure differential is exceded.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, there is shown the position of the varioustoo-l members during the cementing phase of the operation. At thebeginning of this phase, the plug 6! is positioned in the seating member38. A pressure is then exerted on this plug causing the member 38 tomove downwardly. The expanded lock ring causes the sleeve 30 to lalsomove downwardly and this sleeve in turn causes the external sleeve 24 tomove downwardly because of the presence of the shear pins 32. The shearpins 26 are broken at the outset of this operation by the movement ofthe sleeve 3ft relative tothe tubular member 12. As the external sleeve24 rnoves downwardly, the packer llS is compressed and set to cause itto firmly engage the Walls of the well bore. When the external sleeve 24is moved downwardly far enough so that the plugs 34 engage the lowersurfaces of the ports M, the shear pins 32 are sheared off because ofthe continued application of pressure on the plug 60. The sleeve Sti andthe'seating member 38 thus continue to move until the bottom of thesleeve 30 engages the guide 16. At this time, the slips 28 prevent theexternal sleeves 24 from moving upward and the upper portion of thesleeve 3u is below a portion of each of the ports 14 and thus the cementslurry can pass through the ports tinto the annular space between thecasing and the well bore.

After the cementing has been completed, it is desired to close the ports14. The position of the tool members during this phase of theV operationis shown in FIGURE 3. In this figure, the plug 84 has been positioned onthe seating member 68 and pressure applied to it with the result thatthe shear pins 85 have snapped and the seating member 68 and sleeve 62have moved downwardly relative to the tubular lmember i2. After themembers 62 and 68 have moved downwardly a predetermined amount, thelower end of the seating member 68 engages the releasing sleeve 56.

of the snap ring .5S with the result that the releasing sleeve -59 movesdownwardly reative to the seating member 38. When the apertures 52 inthe releasing sleeve Si) are lined up with the passageways 42, the ring44 is yable to contract by pushing the balls LES through the apertures52. The seating member 38 is thus able to move relative to the sleeve30. FIGURE 3 shows Vthe position of the various members at this time.Continued pressure on the plug S4 causes lthe seating rnemberS and thesleeve 62 to continue to move downwardly until the portion 64 ofthesleeve 62 has telescoped into the top portion of the sleeve 36 therebyblocking the ports 14.

At this time, the lock ring '76 in the groove 7 0 registers with aninternal groove 98 in the tubular member i2. The lock ring 76 thereforeexpands into the groove 9S enabling the lock ring 78 Vto expand byforcing the balls Sit out of the groove 72. The expansion of the lockring 78 together with the camming action of the seating member 62 on thewedge-shaped surface of the ring 78 enables the seating member 68 tomove relative to the sleeve 62. Continued pressure on the plug 84 causesthe seating member 68 and the seating member 38 together' with the plugs60 and S4 to be pushed right through the tool and out into the wellborre, leaving a wholly open passageway, as can be seen in FIGURE 4.

From Ithe .foregoing description, it can be seen that an improved toolhas been provided for use in cementing a casing in a well bore. The tooldoes not depend upon the exceeding of predetermined forces on shear pinsto permit relative movement between the seating members and the sleeves,but rather depends upon the members reaching predetermined positions,This provides more reliable operation, as proper positioning of t-hemembers is assured before the next step can take place and thus thepossibility of faulty operation caused by Vdefective shear pins isavoided.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood `that I amnot to be limited to the details herein set forth, but that my inventionis of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In apparatus for cementing casing in a well, the combinationcomprising: a tubular member having a port in the wall thereto-f;expansible packer means surrounding said member in the vicinity of saidport; an extended sleeve slidably mounted on the outside of said memberabove said packer means for setting said packer means when a downwardforce is applied thereto; a first internal sleeve slidably mounted onsaid member, said sleeve having a first position Vwherein it obstructssaid port and a second position wherein it does not obstruct said port;means including a shear pin extending through said port and rigidlyconnecting said external sleeve with said first internal sleeve wherebymovement of said first internal sleeve toward said second positioncauses said external sleeve -to set said packer means; a first seatmglmember mounted in said first internal sleeve, said seating memberhaving a groove in the outer periphery thereof and a plurality of radialpassageways extending from said groove to the interior of said seatingmember; a releasing sleeve movably mounted in said rst seating memberand having a plurality of apertures in the walls thereof, said releasingsleeve having a first position in which said walls obstruct thepassageways in said first seating member and a second position in whichsaid apertures in said walls communicate said passageways with theinterior of said releasing sleeve; means in said peripheral groove andsaid passageways for preventing relative movement of said first internalsleeveand said first seating member when said releasing sleeve is insaid first position; Ia second internal sleeve slidably mounted in saidVtubular member, said Ysecond internal sleeve having a first positionremote from said first internal sleeve and a second position wherein it'cooperates with said first internal sleeve in the second positionthereof to completely obstruct said port; said second internal sleevehaving a first groove formed in the outer periphery thereof, a secondgroove formed in the inner periphery thereof and a plurality of radialpassageways connecting said grooves; a second seating member mounted insaid internal sleeve, the lower end of said second seating member beingengageable with said releasing sleeve; and means in said grooves andsaid passageways for cooperating with said tubular members andpreventing relative movement of said second internal sleeve and saidsecond seating memberV until said second internal sleeve reaches saidsecond position.

2. In apparatus for cementing casing in a well, the combinationcomprising: a tubular mernber having a port in the wall thereof;expansible packer m-eans surrounding said member in the vicinity of saidport; an external sleeve slidably mounted on the outside of said memberabove said packer means for set-ting said packer means when a downwardforce is applied thereto; a first yinternal sleeve slidably mounted onsaid member, said sleeve havingr a first position wherein it obstructssaid port and a second position wherein it does not obstruct said port;means including a shear pin extending through said port and rigidlyconnecting said external sleeve with said first internal sleeve wherebymovement o-f said first internal sleeve toward said second positioncauses said external sleeve to set said packer means; a first seatingmember mounted in said first internal sleeve, said seating member having.a groove in t-he outer periphery thereof and a plurality of radialpassageways extending from said groove to the interior of said seatingmember; a releasing sleeve movably mounted in s-aid first seating memberand having -a plurality of apertures in the walls thereof, saidreleasing sleeve having a first position in which said walls obstructthe passageways in said first seating member and a second position inwhich said apertures in said walls communicate said passageways with theinterior of said releasing sleeve; a first portion of a lock ringpositioned in said peripheral groove; a plurality of balls, one of saidballs being positioned in each of said passageways, said balls causing asecond portion of said lloch ring to expand into a groove formed in theinner periphery of said first internal sleeve when said releasing sleeveis in said first position thereby preventing relative movement betweensaid first seating means and said first internal sleeve; a secondinternal sleeve slidably mounted in said tubular member, said secondinternal sleeve 4having a first position remote from said first internalsleeve and a second position wherein it cooperates with said firstinternal sleeve in the second position thereof to completely obstructsaid port; said second internal sleeve having a first groo-ve formed inthe outer periphery thereof, a second groove formed in the innerperiphery thereof and -a plurality of radial passageways connecting saidgrooves; a second seating member mounted in said second internal sleeveand having a groove formed in its outer periphery, the lower end of saidsecond seating member being engageable with said releasing sleeve; a rstlock ring positioned in the outer peripheral gro-ove of said secondinternal sleeve; a second lock ring positioned in lthe inner peripheralgroove of said second internal sleeve; land a plurality of balls, one ofsaid balls being positioned in each of said p-ass-ageways of saidseco-nd internal sleeve, said balls causing said second lock ring to becompressed into said groove in said second seating means therebypreventing relative movement between said second internal sleeve andsaid second seating means until said first lock ring is permitted toexpand into a groove formed in said tubular member, said expansionoccurring when said second internal sleeve reaches said second position.

3. In apparatus for cementing casing in a well, the combinationcomprising: a tubular member having a port in the wall thereof;expansible packer means surrounding said member in the vicinity of saidport; an external sleeve slidably mounted on the outside of said memberabove said packer means for setting said packer means when a downwardforce is applied thereto; a first internal sleeve slidably mounted onsaid member, said sleeve having a first position whe-rein it obstructssaid port and a second position wherein it does not obstruct said port;means including a shear pin extending through said port and rigidlyconnecting said external sleeve with said first internal sleeve wherebymovement of said first internal sleeve toward said second positioncauses said external sleeve to set said packer means; a first seatingmember mounted in said first internal sleeve, said seating member havinga groove in the outer periphery thereof and a plurality of radialpassageways extending from said `groove to the interior of said seatingmember; a releasing sleeve movably mounted in said first seating memberand having a plurality of apertures in the walls thereof, said releasingsleeve having a first position in which said walls obstruct thepassageways in said first seating member and a second position in whichsaid apertures in said walls communicate said passageways with theinterior of said releasing sleeve; a first portion of a lock ringpositioned in said peripheral groove; a plurality of balls, one of saidballs being positioned in each of said passageways, said `balls causinga second portion of said lock ring to expand into a groove formed in theinner periphery of said first internal sleeve when said releasing sleeveis in said first position thereby preventing relative movement betweensaid first seating means and said first internal sleeve; -a secondinternal sleeve slidably mounted in said tubular member, said secondinternal sleeve having a first position remote from said first internalsleeve and a second position wherein it cooperates with said firstinternal sleeve in the second position thereof to completely obstructsaid port; said second internal sleeve having a first groove formed inthe youter periphery thereof, 4a second groove formed in the innerperiphery thereof and a plurality of radial passageways connecting saidgrooves; a second seating member mounted in said second internal sleeveand having a groove formed in its outer periphery, the lower end of saidsecond seating member being engageable with said releasing sleeve; 'afirst lock ring positioned in the outer peripheral groove of said secondinternal sleeve; a second lock ring positioned in the inner peripheralgroove of said second internal sleeve; a plurality of balls, one of saidballs lbeing positioned in each of said passageways of said secondinternal sleeve, said balls causing said second lock ring to becompressed into said groove in said second seating means therebypreventing relative movement between said second internal sleeve andsaid second seating means until said first lock ring is permitted toexpand into a groove formed in said tubular member, said expansionoccurring when said second internal sleeve reaches said second position;firs-t plug means positionable upon said first seating member whereby astream of cement slurry passed into said apparatus causes said firstseating means and said first internal sleeve to move downwardly untilsaid first internal sleeve reaches said second position, and second plugmeans positionable upon said second seating member whereby a forceexert-ed o-n said second Iplug means causes said second seating memberand said second intern-al sleeve to move downwardly until said lower endof said second seating member engages said releasing sleeve and moves itto said second position, said second seating member and said secondinternal sleeve continuing to move downwardly under said force untilsaid second internal sleeve reaches said second position and said secondseating member is freed for movement relative to said second intern-alsleeve.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,925,865 2/60Oliver 166-154 3,044,553 7/62 Bradley 166-184 CHARLES E. OCONNELL,Primary Examiner.

1. IN APPARATUS FOR CEMENTING CASING IN A WELL, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING; A TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING A PORT IN THE WALL THEREOF; EXPANSIBLE PACKER MEANS SURROUNDING SAID MEMBER IN THE VICINITY OF SAID PORT; AN EXTENDED SLEEVE SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON THE OUTSIDE OF SAID MEMBER ABOVE SAID PACKER MEANS FOR SETTING SAID PACKER MEANS WHEN A DOWNWARD FORCE IS APPLIED THERETO; A FIRST INTERNAL SLEEVE SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID MEMBER, SAID SLEEVE HAVING A FIRST POSITION WHEREIN IT OBSTRUCTS SAID PORT AND A SECOND POSITION WHEREIN IT DOES NOT OBSTRUCT SAID PORT; MEANS INCLUDING A SHEAR PIN EXTENDING THROUGH SAID PORT AND RIGIDLY CONNECTING SAID EXTERNAL SLEEVE WITH SAID FIRST INTERNAL SLEEVE WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF SAID FIRST INTERNAL SLEEVE TOWARD SAID SECOND POSITION CAUSES SAID EXTERNAL SLEEVE TO SET SAID PACKER MEANS; A FIRST SEATING MEMBER MOUNTED IN SAID FIRST INTERNAL SLEEVE, SAID SEATING MEMBER HAVING A GROOVE IN THE OUTER PERIPHERY THEREFO AND A PLURALITY OF RADIAL PASSAGEWAYS EXTENDING FROM SAID GROOVE TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID SEATING MEMBER; A RELEASING SLEEVE MOVABLY MOUNTED IN SAID FIRST SEATING MEMBER AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF APERTURES IN THE WALLS THEREOF, SAID RELEASING SLEEVE HAVING A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH SAID WALLS OBSTRUCT THE PASSAGEWAYS IN SAID FIRST SEATING MEMBER AND A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH SAID APERTURES IN SAID WALLS COMMUNICATE SAID PASSAGEWAYS WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID RELEASING SLEEVE; MEANS IN SAID PERIPHERAL GROOVE AND SAID PASSAGEWAYS FOR PREVENTING RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID FIRST INTERNAL SLEEVE AND SAID FIRST SEATING MEMBER WHEN SAID RELEASING SLEEVE IS IN SAID FIRST POSITION; A SECOND INTERNAL SLEEVE SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, SAID SECOND INTERNAL SLEEVE HAVING A FIRST POSITION REMOTE FROM SAID FIRST INTERNAL SLEEVE AND A SECOND POSITION WHEREIN IT COOPERATES WITH SAID FIRST INTERNAL SLEEVE IN THE SECOND POSITION THEREOF TO COMPLETELY OBSTRUCT SAID PORT; SAID SECOND INTERNAL SLEEVE HAVING A FIRST GROOVE FORMED IN THE INNER PERIPHERY THEREOF, A SECOND GROOVE FORMED IN THE INNER PERIPHERY THEREOF AND A PLURALITY OF RADIAL PASSAGEWAYS CONNECTING SAID GROOVES; A SECOND SEATING MEMBER MOUNTED IN SAID INTERNAL SLEEVE, THE LOWER END OF SAID SECOND SEATING MEMBER BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID RELEASING SLEEVE; AND MEANS IN SAID GROOVES AND SAID PASSAGEWAYS FOR COOPERATAING WITH SAID TUBULAR MEMBERS AND PREVENTING RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID SECOND INTERNAL SLEEVE AND SAID SECOND SEATING MEMBER UNTIL SAID SECOND INTERNAL SLEEVE REACHES SAID SECOND POSITION. 